SO CONFUSED ARE WEST CHESTER/ MALVERN AREA the only places (Philadelphia: real estate, mcmansions)

[rcovph]

We are getting ready to go house searching. So far we haven't had any options given to us from realtor besides West chester area and Malvern devon area !! Can anyone shed some light as to why? What is the Garnet Valley school district like and what towns does it service? What about Chadd Ford area? We are so confused and can't seem to find any answers.Any comments and help would be so appreciated/

[matildap]

I am in the same boat..we've been house-hunting for months, though,and I still feel like we're in the dark sometimes. What price range are you looking in? We are also looking in the Malvern area, and as for school districts, have you looked on greatschools.net? That will help. Garnet Valley is one of the ones we have been looking into also. T/E, Great Valley, Radnor, are the others. I am trying to find out more about Westchester schools because here on the main line where we're staying, it seems to be the opinion that Westchester schools are not as good. Though they don't score 10's like the others (except for East High School which does score 10) I think they might still be good. Garnet Valley seems to cover an area called Thornton which is nice although someone on here pointed out that the County Prison is there. I guess you have to look on sites that let you search school districts- one that we use is the prudential site. I hope you'll post as you find out more, I will too. Good luck!

[rainrock]

Originally Posted by rcovph

We are getting ready to go house searching. So far we haven't had any options given to us from realtor besides West chester area and Malvern devon area !! Can anyone shed some light as to why? What is the Garnet Valley school district like and what towns does it service? What about Chadd Ford area? We are so confused and can't seem to find any answers.Any comments and help would be so appreciated/

rcov there are many quality areas and schools in the suburbs, there is no reason to panic. Perhaps the realtors you have dealt with specialize in West Chester/Malvern. Both are great communities and would be great places to live, but they're just 2 of dozens and dozens great towns in the surrounding suburbs.

Garnet Valley area was rolling farmland 15-20 years ago which is now the next frontier heading west-southwest, its growing like gangbusters, maybe too much. Great schools, its nothing but a continuation of new housing developments. New new new this is one of the "sunbelt regions" of the Philly area along with Downingtown/Exton/Westtown/Chester Springs. Another cluster is in Montgomery County Royersford/Collegeville/Trappe. Bucks County also has a swath of new regions popping up.

Back to GV . Garnet Valley schools are made up of Concord Township, Bethel Township,Thornton and parts of Boothwyn I do believe.


Chadds Ford has outstanding schools but its a very excusive area.
Rose Tree-Media
Wallingford-Swarthmore
Marple-Newtown
Radnor
Lower Merion
Haverford
Great valley
Tredyffrin-Eastown

All are top notch school districts. That covers alot of area in Western Delaware County + Eastern Chester County. You probably should scope the area out and find your niche. The landscape goes from towns carved out of some pretty dense forest e.g. Gladwyne, Villanova,Radnor, Media to some beautiful valleys out in Malvern, Chester Springs, Kimberton, Valley Forge.




What are you looking to spend? And what is priority #1?

[matildap]

rainrock,
since Westchester school district was not on your list, does that mean you do not consider it a "top notch" school district? By the way, what is it that you do for your profession? You seem to be very knowledgable about the region.

[rainrock]

Matilda I am not a realtor but my background is in real estate management. I know Delaware County, Chester County,Montgomery County, Philadelphia parts of South Jersey fairly well.

The mainlines mindset is that anything not "mainline" its automatically inferior. Thats the way they think, especially from Radnor to Bryn mawr, but don't let their attitude fool you into thinking there aren't any other quality schools in the area. There are plenty of outstanding school districts outside the mainline.

As far as I know West Chester schools are very well regarded.
There are only a few school districts that you would be advised to stay away from and they are all in extreme eastern Delaware County.


Have you looked at the Media/Upper Providence area. There is a beautiful area of older homes between 252 and 320, say to the east of Rose Tree Park and Springton lake. By the Paxon Hollow Golf Course up towards Marple and Broomall.

Good luck and have fun with it

[matildap]

rainrock
Thank you..yes we've looked at Media, some homes near the Linvilla (sp?) Orchard area....For some reason I'm fond of Malvern so I've been focusing there. Unfortunately nothing in the Great Valley schools that we wanted..that's why I'm trying to convince myself that Westchester schools (while living in Malvern) would be okay..East Goshen, Fugett and East are the schools. Are you familiar with them?

[rainrock]

http://www.psk12.com

Good school site. Here is a link of the best elementary school, verbal + math test scores in Chester County based on 2001 info. They want you to subscribe for recent years. East Goshen was #9 and Downingtown schoools cleaned up.

http://www.psk12.com/rating/USthreeR...ntyID_150.html

[rcovph]

Rainrock, thank you for all your information. It is very overwhelming when you just don't want to make the wrong move with two children. I frankly have looked into West Chester schools and they seem fine? We are looking to spend 800k to 900k, the ideal place for us would be a downtown area with shops etc, that the kids can be safe in walking around w/freinds, obviously good schools.Since our daughter will be entering high school!and anotherone entering middle school.We'd like a down to earth friendly area, thta is who we are. Honestly what is making us so nervous for every town I explore or mention to someone I get something negative and I can't figure out why. We have lived in Florida, Chicago, now NJ and I haven't run into this, it worries me.

[rainrock]

Originally Posted by rcovph

I frankly have looked into West Chester schools and they seem fine? We are looking to spend 800k to 900k, the ideal place for us would be a downtown area with shops etc, that the kids can be safe in walking around w/freinds, obviously good schools.Since our daughter will be entering high school!and anotherone entering middle school.We'd like a down to earth friendly area, thta is who we are. Honestly what is making us so nervous for every town I explore or mention to someone I get something negative and I can't figure out why. We have lived in Florida, Chicago, now NJ and I haven't run into this, it worries me.

There area a couple small towns that would fit your quest of a pleasant downtown area and quality schools.West Chester, Media, Swarthmore, Malvern, Wayne, then the stretch of the main line that includes Bryn Mawr, Narberth,Haverford, Villanova,Rosemont.

Most of the upper middle class people around here live in their Mcmansions and drive into to shop in West Chester, Malvern, Media, Chestnut Hill, Main Line or drop the kids off at King of Prussia Mall , but there are nice upper middle class homes in all those towns if that is your thing.

I wouldn't get too stressed, you have alot of very good options. I would recommend coming to take a look at the area and from N/S Valley Forge down to Media and W/E West Chester/Downingtown to Bryn Mawr. You will find something that appeals to you. Be sure to check out Gladwyne/Villanova that place is awesome.


Have you been here before? Do you know anything about the area?

[rcovph]

Rainrock, All your information is so appreciated. You really have been the only person in this forum to give help and useful information. We have visited the West Chester area and Devon, Malvern area. My only other visit to this area was my four years when I was in College at the University of Pennsylvania. But I don't even want to recognize how long ago that was Other then that no I really do not know anything about the area besides the research I have done myself and information from our realtor which I believe is a bit skewed. No we are really NOT into MCMANSIONS, to be honest that is what we are trying to get away from. Although I realize in our price range that is what there is, it is not our top priority. I want alot of activites for my kids, I place they can hang out with friends besides a mall {thats what they do here}. I truly believe all the schools we are looking in are good, West Chester, Great Valley, Downington there isn't a hugh difference between one and the other in my opinion. I feel as long as my kids are in a "good " school system the rest comes form within them and us as their parents. If you have any other advice on these areas please comment I so appreciate it.